Presence of Love (2022 TV Movie) User Reviews

I wandered lonely as a cloud...but there were daffodils fluttering and laughing in the breeze!

[cgvsluis · 8/10 · 18 March 2022]

I enjoyed this film tremendously, more than I have enjoyed a Hallmark film in awhile...and it had a few things working against it...like a mental health story and a dyslexia side story, but the overall story and chemistry made those minor dislikes insignificant.

The story is about an American college professor of literature, Joss, who I think is trying to get tenure and has two weeks to turn in her research paper post revisions. She receives a gift of a trip from her deceased mom who passed away just a year ago and from which Joss hasn't really recovered...she still feels like she is missing a piece of herself.

"Loss is a terrible thing, it never completely goes away."

Joss suffers from severe anxiety stemming from the car accident that took her father's life when she was a child. She makes the trip to Cornwall, staying at a sheep farm that her mom grew up on and her grandparents owned...but now she is a guest staying in the old mill house. The current owners are a single father and his mother. His daughter is struggling a bit in school...but is the most precious thing in the movie! She is a real scene stealer and I could listen to her for hours. Her grandmother is a bit cantankerous and is fighting a battle with her son over updating the farm. The son is the love interest who has wonderful chemistry with our lead actress. These two make a wonderfully soft spoken and lovely couple.

My three favorite things about this film were 1) the battle over the proper way to do tea 2) the scenery-which was truly beautiful and 3) the literary references from Oscar Wilde to William Wordsworth!

"It's what you read when you don't have to that determines who you'll be when you can't help it."-Oscar Wilde.

My favorite was the reading of the Wordsworth poem "I wandered lonely as a cloud", the description of daffodils was perfectly suited for the timing here in the Pacific Northwest where the daffodils are dancing in the wind so cheerfully this time of year.

Thank you for this breath of spring and sharing beautiful literature in this romance.

Highly recommend...you will not be sorry if you are a romantic.

"You know how scary that would be?"-Joss "I know, but you'd have the best wingman."-Daniel.

Lovely

[d-robold · 8/10 · 26 March 2022]

What a wonderful change of pace! This movie had depth, understanding, a steady pace and excellent acting. Such a relief from the annoyingly formulaic movies usually presented. No old boyfriend, no high heels, no saving the old bakery, festival, tree... here we had a lovely background, intertwining stories and themes, well developed characters, and a movie that was complex yet simple. It stays with me and I'll think about this one for a long time.

Sublimely Scenic and Poignant Movie

[catjfaux · 8/10 · 15 March 2022]

This is a lovely film filled with wonderful poetry references and quotes, fabulous views of the English countryside, and a touching exploration of different kinds of loss. There are several themes threading throughout and the film is not afraid to explore difficult subjects, like loss, fear, the expectations of others and ourselves, and difficult personal health or psychological challenges. This doesn't mean it is a heavy movie, but it is not afraid of delving a little deeper than some Hallmark romances, and it is not really light and airy. If the movie were not constricted to 90 minutes, I could see where some themes could have and should have been explored more. Even with the limitations of a television movie framework, I appreciated this one very much. It's not perfect. It's lovely for what it is. I could relate to Joss in certain ways, and I longed to visit Cornwall myself, while watching this movie.

What a Refreshing Change!!

[omijer · 18 March 2022]

After faithfully watching Hallmark movies for years, this film finally broke the mold of predictable formulaic Hallmark plots. There was no big city girl returning to her home town to help fix the cupcake bakery or the seasonal festival, help because Dad hurt his back or broke a leg, meet her old boyfriend, review why they broke up, have an almost kiss, an accidental misunderstanding, and get it all resolved by the last 5 minutes.

Here is a story of real emotion, real life issues, professional conflicts, personal struggle with anxiety, loss, sadness, and unresolved relationships. Here is a sensitive young woman, searching for answers in both a professional and a family crisis of her own, opening herself to risks and unknowns to help her resolve her sadness.

The acting on the part of Eloise Mumford, the young child, and the granny were spot on. Truly sensitive, deep interpretations of their roles. Sadly, the leading man was bit bland and one-note, but nevertheless presented a solid rock to lean on for the young woman in her personal emotional search.

The scenery was just breathtaking! It added drama and seriousness to the story. The exploration of the child's dyslexia was done with great sensitivity. The issue of professional conflict and creative blocks had a real life quality to it. Addressing personal depression, anxiety, medication, and the helplessness of such moments is a real departure for Hallmark and is so welcome in our current world.

And yes, as a previous reviewer noted, how and why did the young woman manage to pack 4 coats and a jacket in her suitcase for such short trip? But one has to forgive such filming gaffes. This was a Hallmark movie, after all. Not everything needs to make sense.

Here is a film truly worth watching, and truly a departure for Hallmark, which has become so formulaic that one can predict almost everything in most moves before it happens. Not here. This is a gem!! More of the same, please!!

Joss's Techicolor Coat Closet

[annwheeler-07646 · 6/10 · 14 March 2022]

The college professor ( Joss) leaves on a surprise gifted trip for 10 days to England, where she will reconnect with some family roots and history.

Did she really need to pack FOUR (blue, pink, tweed, red) coats, and a green reversible jacket?

Samantha Bond gives the strongest performance of all cast members. She presents her character well, and in my opinion, carries the show.

The storyline is ok, but needs strengthening in a few places.

Love, Poetry, & New Beginnings

[jlbsword · 10/10 · 19 March 2022]

This was an absolutely beautiful movie and the best I have seen in some time. The acting was superb and the sweet little girl stole the show. The story of love, loss, and struggle is one that we can all identify with and the true emotions expressed came through so well. The attraction and connection between the two leads was real and not forced or silly as in many of the Hallmark movies. And the scenery of Cornwall was not only stunning, but also provided the metaphor of standing on a cliff trying to summon the courage to move away and move on. Having also lost a mother much too soon, the scene of Joss finally letting go near the end was just so very touching. I wish this movie had been longer. I did not want it to end. Let's have more movies like this with a wonderful story and strong characters that move us to tears and allow us to smile.

lovely and absorbing but missing a few things

[viafilm · 7/10 · 17 March 2022]

So much was well-done - great setting, good and intelligent story line and some appealing performances.

But also some frustrating gaps which detracted.

Eloise Mumford is a standout - lovely and intelligent.

Unfortunately, Julian Morris seemed too passive for a believable romantic lead.

I am assuming this is the director's fault as it would not have been hard to energize the character's action at a few key milestones - even a few longing looks would have helped make this credible.

And a thumbs down to whomever thought this character - or anyone for that matter - would pack 4 long coats for a visit to the English countryside.

In any event, hope Hallmark does more like these.

More movies like this please!

[sandpark-70052 · 10/10 · 14 March 2022]

Beautiful scenery, lovely story, and a health issue to overcome with loving kindness and creative learning methods. This movie was very touching and well done. More movies like this please.

Better than average but the sound is awful

[aeszeki · 7/10 · 11 February 2023]

I like the cast. They do a good job.

Eloise Mumford is not your average "peppy - happy", fake, blonde lead, which is great. What I like about her is that she is "real" and she has this fragility about her - in this case - perfect for the anxious Joss.

Male lead, supporting mum and daughter are good. There is chemistry between all of them.

The storyline, although predictable, is more original than most romance films.

The scenery of course, is gorgeous.

My only, big, problem is with the sound. I struggled to understand what they were saying, most of the time. You have lead actors who are soft spoken, a lot of outdoor scenes and, instead of making sure the dialogue is audible, you add music. This had a huge impact on my enjoyment of this film.

This Movie is a Masterpiece

[videonutz · 10/10 · 4 April 2022]

Yes, This Movie is Truly a Masterpiece of Entertainment and Enjoyment. The Writing and Acting is Absolutely Amazing and the Chemistry Between All of the Characters is Superb. It is a Wonderfully Written Story of Life, Love and Sorrow that is Certain to Bring a Tear to Your Eye and Joy to Your Heart. I am an 81 Year Old Widower who Sadly Lost his Wife of 58 Years about a Year Ago. She was the Love of My Life and I Miss Her Dearly. I am Admittedly a Hallmark Fanatic but I Only Take the Time to Actually Review what I personally believe to be their most Outstanding and Entertaining Productions. I have to also Admit that I am Not Normally a Fan of their on Location Films that Feature Primarily Foreign Actors. I Generally Prefer the Good Old USA. But this Film Spoke to My Heart with Unbelievable Writing and Dialogue such as the Following: " Loss is a Terrible Thing" " It Never Completely Goes Away" " She's Still With Me" "She Lies Within My Thoughts " "Her Love Lies Deep Inside of Me" "And I Carry Her in My Heart" With that Unbelievably Heartfelt Dialogue Delivered by Sincere and Engaging Performers You Simply Can Not and Will Not Find a More Enjoyable Way to be Entertained by a One and a Half Hour Motion Picture. Please Don't Deprive Yourself and Your Entire Family of this Fabulous Piece of Entertainment and Heart Felt Enjoyment. You will Never Forget the Magic of This Poignant Production!

Coats

[joan_webster-52141 · 6/10 · 18 March 2022]

I also wondered how she got so many coats in that suitcase. And they never wore gloves while building the stone fence. Doesn't anyone pick up on those things?

I love the scenery and the storyline

[nancycwelch · 9/10 · 19 May 2022]

I love a movie with beautiful scenery. This one is romantic in that the movie takes place in the English countryside and reminds me of a Jane Austen setting and yes there is even poetry... lot's of poetry. But it just adds to the uniqueness of this wonderful Hallmark movie. It is not typical. All of the actors were great and I loved the English accents. But the best part for me was showing the struggle of living with anxiety and how it can affect your life and also how to manage it. Many people can relate to this at least in some measure. This is one of the few that I have watched a second time and will probably watch a third.

Lovely and has possibilities

[sherryp-14911 · 7/10 · 4 May 2024]

This movie is lovely. I love classic poetry. Breathtakingly beautiful landscapes. But it didn't make me happy. Sad rather than hopeful. Even though it ended on a note of hope, it seemed sad. The note of hope was too rushed to seem real. Instead it left me confused and sad. I had to keep the sound low, so I will watch it again to give a fair judgement, maybe I'm just feeling low right now. IMDB gave it a higher rating. Probably because of Samantha Bond, whose acting was genuine and excellent. Julian Morris' character wasn't fully formed, so that was lacking. Eloise Mumford was sweet and sad, but she did a fine job. The little girl, Amy Sharp, is a very good actress and articulate, it was always nice to see her.

Too much

[linnshund · 2/10 · 12 December 2022]

I wanted to love this so badly as there are so many great actors put into this movie.. But I just felt it was over the top. Julian Morris character was basically screaming "LOVEE ME" throughout the movie and it felt a bit almost too pushy. I just didn't sense much chemistry between the two characters.. I mean the acting great, chemistry.. not much. Eloise and Sean Faris... now those are more believable.

I know it's Hallmark and it's supposed to be a bit cheesy but I swear they tried writing Julians character as a classical "english gentleman" from the romantics (etc. Darcy). I don't know if this was intentional as that sort of was the theme.. but for me it just became too much.

Coats of Many Colors were a distraction to a Lovely production.

[rebekahrox · 8/10 · 26 March 2022]

In many ways this one reminded me of some of the gentle English Family oriented romances written in mid 20th century or some of the later stories by a favorite author, Rosamunde Pilcher. A fragile ,introverted, and very nice young woman escapes to Cornwall to recover from some trauma. There is usually a granny involved, as well as a young child, a dog, a cottage, a close rural community, and a upstanding but grouchy love interest. This one fit the bill except the love interest was just nice, not grouchy.

This one largely deserves the very positive reviews it has gotten. Eloise Mumford is wonderful in this as the panic attack prone Joss. She is seeking tenure as a professor of English but her paper has been rejected. She is still grieving the death of her mother a year earlier and takes pills to stave off a life-long anxiety problem. Her best friend discloses that Joss's mother had planned to take her to childhood home in Cornwall as a surprise for her birthday and insists that Joss go anyway and work on her paper there, which she does. Everything proceeds very predictably as usual, but as Hallmark devotees know, if a Hallmark Romance appears on Hallmark Murders and Mysteries, it is going to go a little deeper than the usual rom-com shenanigans.

Famous British Actress (Downton Abbey, etc. Etc.) Samantha Bond plays the mother of Daniel, the owner of the farm/B&B and Joss's love interest. She is fighting with her son who wants to put Wind Turbines in one of their sheep fields for the sorely needed income. Underneath her polite façade she is cold, rude and hostile, change averse, and old fashioned despite her snazzy sweaters and chic haircut. She was so remote and scary that when she breaks down and kindly helps Joss with her grief, it is genuinely touching. Meanwhile Joss mentors Daniel's dyslexic daughter. So there is quite a lot going on, including a mysterious woman that may or may not be a ghost or a figment of Joss's imagination. There is lots of English poetry quoting which was nice. The scenery and photography were beautiful.

The moral of the story is that security and safety are over-rated and sometimes taking chances and living a little is the path to take. Instead of pursuing tenure (security) which was only adding to her stress, she decides to live in the moment and move to Cornwall to be with Farmer Dan and his little family and also travel. We have a "One Year Later" epilogue in which we see she is happily in charge of the literary festival and happy in her relationship with Daniel. Speaking of the epilogue, I was going to refrain adding to the general criticism of the vast number of coats that Joss crammed in her suitcase to wear in Cornwall. (Blue, Pink, Red, Houndstooth, and a Puffy Jacket.) But when she was sporting still ANOTHER DAMN COAT one year later (Tartan) I couldn't resist.

A Lit Lover's Delight starring a Huggable Eloise Mumford and co-starring the Windswept Cliffs of Cornwall

[MichaelByTheSea · 10/10 · 5 April 2022]

There's a surprising stream of beautiful literary references in The Presence of Love which, for me, ranks in the top tier of Hallmark's movies (I'd give it a 7 or 8 compared to other movies but I grade Hallmark on a curve). Given all the high brow literary references, and with it addressing issues like high anxiety and dyslexia (which it does with compassion and grace), I worried that it might not resonate with the "feed me a steady diet of comforting sugary treats" Hallmark crowd (I'm in that crowd). But it currently holds a 7.2 rating on IMDb, which is higher than most Hallmark movies.

Eloise Mumford is beautiful, talented, and convincing playing the fragile and vulnerable Joss. You just want to give her a hug and softly sing her the Bob Marley Three Little Birds song ("Don't worry about a thing, 'cause every little thing gonna be all right"). Julian Morris is pleasant as Daniel, but I really liked Amy Sharp who plays his young daughter Tegan. Samantha Bond was also good as the inexplicably cranky and unpleasant grandmother. Great writing by Nicole Baxter. Well directed by MacLaine Nelson.

The movie opens with lines from William Wordsworth's The Solitary Reaper, which celebrates the beauty of a song even when you can't understand the lyrics. I love bossa nova Brazilian music, and some French and Spanish music, and there are plenty of enjoyable songs in "English" that I can't make out or understand (hence my use of subtitles when watching movies, like this one, with heavy accents). From The Solitary Reaper:

"Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang As if her song could have no ending; I saw her singing at her work, And o'er the sickle bending;- I listened, motionless and still; And, as I mounted up the hill, The music in my heart I bore, Long after it was heard no more."

The name of the movie, Presence of Love, is from an old poem of the same name by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (a good friend of Wordsworth).

"And in Life's noisiest hour, There whispers still the ceaseless Love of Thee, The heart's Self-solace and soliloquy.

You mould my Hopes, you fashion me within; And to the leading Love-throb in the Heart Thro' all my Being, thro' my pulse's beat; You lie in all my many Thoughts, like Light, Like the fair light of Dawn, or summer Eve On rippling Stream, or cloud-reflecting Lake.

And looking to the Heaven, that bends above you, How oft! I bless the Lot that made me love you."

Joss often quotes the 2 poets featured in the movie and lovingly tells Daniel: "You lie in all my many Thoughts". Joss also recites the line "Nature never did betray the heart that loved her" from another poem by Wordsworth called Tintern Abbey.

If you've seen the romantic series Poldark (quite good- basically Outlander without the magic), which was set in the decades following the American Revolutionary War, back when Wordsworth and Coleridge were writing their poems, you'll recognize the windswept cliffs of Cornwall. These magnificent sprawling cliffs, and the crashing waves and rocks below, essentially become a character ("Nature") and metaphor in both this movie and Poldark. And I love that Hallmark spent a few extra bucks to film this in Cornwall and not in front of a green screen in Vancouver. I really appreciate when their movies are at least partly filmed where they are set.

I also totally agree with the "Lovely" and "What a Refreshing Change!!" reviews about breaking the basic Hallmark molds (I have a love/hate approach-mostly love- when it comes to Hallmark movies and their overused tropes). Even the Presence of Love poster looks different. Bravo!

I didn't notice all the different coats, but here are the little things that annoyed me: 1) The grandmother's initial rudeness to Joss and Daniel (what exactly is HER plan to save the place?); 2) the complete uselessness of Joss' "help" building the stone wall (it's really worth watching again just to focus on that "help"); 3) Joss not having another beer at the Ship Inn with a fun foursome (I know she has that "paper" but Jeez, take a break, it's not like you're being productive) 4) Joss, in the book seller's nook, misattributing a good quote to Oscar Wilde (who has plenty of good quotes without giving him credit for things he never said): "What you read when you don't have to, determines what you will be when you can't help it." This clever quote was actually said by a Unitarian minister (Charles Francis Potter) back in 1927. The Quote Investigator is a useful resource to fact check quote attributions.

different. just in good sense

[Kirpianuscus · 11 February 2023]

For me, it was a beautiful surprise. Because it is one of films having the courage to be more than a Hallmark.

I love the themes and the manner to explore them.

Loving books, having the experiences of teaching and the work for Phd, I discovered so familiar slices from my life, just fair reflected.

I loved the acting and the landscapes. The courage to use, in wise manner, the subjects as dislexia, ruined marriage, motherhood and dyslexia. I loved the intro, using the verses of Wentsworth and the box with the old volume by Coleridge.

The problem ? Obvious, the too conventional ( but predictable ) end.

But, honestly, it is more than Hallmark. And this just matters.

The best new one in a while

[Bill-412 · 10/10 · 15 March 2022]

A good story, not the usual. A wonderful lead actress and some great Poldark scenery. None of the usual forced affirmative action casting, nor the usual bimbo leads or annoying dogs. More like this please.

Refreshing

[Jackbv123 · 10/10 · 24 March 2022]

Hallmark Movies and Mysteries productions often go a lot deeper than the other Hallmark channel's fluffy rom/coms. This movie is does just that.

I am getting the feeling that writing a review after one viewing is going to miss a lot because I'm sure there's a lot more to absorb than you can one time through.

The easy things to comment about are the poetry and scenery. I'm deaf to poetry unless it's a song. But I actually found myself appreciating some of the things quoted in this movie. The scenery is real, not just the best spots or shots. As a result, it has a special kind of beauty.

Eloise Mumford is well cast in this role. She has a special way about her, and it fits perfectly here. She and Julian Morris have a chemistry that is far more than witty dialogue. Amy Sharp, as the young Tegan, adds another level of special.

The movie explores special situations and emotions. I can't even imagine how much anxiety Joss lives with as the result of her traumatic back story. But each of the four main characters carries some emotional baggage. The movie does a good job with it.

Couldn't help noticing she owns a LOT of coats!!

[jacobandluke · 5/10 · 18 March 2022]

Enjoyed the movie had a bit of a hard time with the mom in the story why they had to make her out to be so bitter. Then of course, the fact the professor owns so many coats! It really stuck out, detracted from the movie.

Would like to watch more like this......

[jeannienw · 10/10 · 2 July 2022]

This movie deals with lots of issues which I found interesting. Having anxiety episodes myself, it was inspiring seeing how the main character dealt with hers. Also, how the movie addressed dyslexia was heartfelt.

A beautiful film - Hallmark at its best

[lgroden · 10/10 · 28 August 2022]

Wow, this is one of the best Hallmark films I've seen. Eloise Mumford was amazing as Joss, a professor who suffers with anxiety & is grieving her mother's death. The other superstar was Amy Sharp, who played Teagan, Daniel's daughter who is dyslexic. It is so good that Hallmark has covered these issues which many people are suffering with every day. The scenery was spectacular & makes you want to visit Cornwall. It was also a refreshing change that there were no annoying, over-bubbly characters who talk with high-pitched voices at 100 miles an hour. I absolutely loved this film.

Please Hallmark, can we have more films like this?

Way more depth than a typical Hallmark Movie

[cincy-47983 · 10/10 · 29 March 2022]

Okay - this isn't a simple feel-good fluff piece. It is a movie with some emotion and well acted. The writing, directing, production and scenery are great. I like how they build the location into the story to where it is almost its own character. Yes, it is a bit of a tear-jerker but that isn't a bad thing. The characters are believable and the story wraps up well. Kudos to. Eloise Mumford for her superb acting in scenes with way different emotions built into them.

Well worth watching

[EPMD57 · 8/10 · 4 June 2022]

There are some real high points in this movie that are not typical of this genre. The scenery was gorgeous, the characters were well drawn out with actual problems in their lives, and the overly saccharine plot points were still somewhat palatable. I thought the ending strained credulity, but that didn't ruin the movie at all. I could have used a second part to this -- or even a miniseries.

Touching story but terrible sound mix

[dlundy-20410 · 2/10 · 6 May 2024]

This was a very touching story with fantastic, beautiful scenery. It was difficult to watch, however, because the sound mix was so bad. Most of the dialogue is soft spoken yet their voices were muffled and mixed with too much on the low end of the sound spectrum. I had to readjust my sound to push the upper registers so they could be understood. And then sometimes the music was also drowning out what they were saying. The music was nice but in many scenes it was way too loud to the point of being distracting. This also made it almost impossible to understand what they were saying. It's really a shame about the sound mix and volume because it was, as previously stated, a very touching film.